La Salle County Health Department begins bird surveillance

          You can get West Nile Virus from infected mosquitoes, but people aren’t the only animals affected by the disease.  Birds can also become infected and die.

          The La Salle County Health Department is again collecting dead birds to look for signs of the virus.  They’re looking for dead crows, blue jays, swallows and other birds that obviously didn’t die from an injury.  They will only take birds that have dead for less than 48 hours and are not decaying.

Ottawa Council Sets Public Hearing For Controversial Sand Mine Terminal

If you’re interested one way or another about the proposed sand mine east of Starved Rock State Park, set aside time on Wednesday, June 19^th.

That’s when the Ottawa City Council and Ottawa Planning Commission will hold a joint public hearing and meeting to discuss proposals from Archer Daniels Midland to transport sand for the controversial mine.  ADM is asking for a conditional use permit for a barge fleeting operation along Route 71 and also requesting to annex the property into the city of Ottawa.

Despite the permit process taking well over a year, Ottawa activist Farley Andrews says the Mississippi Sand proposal is still being rushed through.  He says the city needs to look at the “destruction of life quality” in cities in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania that are near silica sand mines.

The public hearing on June 19^th will start at 7 inside the Ottawa City Hall.

Three men facing heroin charges after busts by TRIDENT

Undercover drug stings have rounded up three people accused of selling heroin in Streator. 

Officers with TRIDENT arrested Michael Pitts of Chicago after he allegedly sold a small amount of heroin to an undercover officer Monday morning. 

A few hours later officers arrested Frank Stove of Streator after he allegedly sold a small amount of heroin to someone working with the police.  Police say Stove also had three grams of heroin on him. 

Not even an hour later, officers arrested Kyle Kearfott of Grand Ridge for felony heroin charges. 

Pitts, Stove and Kearfott were taken to the La Salle County Jail on heroin-related charges.

Ottawa Police investigating armed robbery

         An unpleasant surprise for someone living in Ottawa has police investigating an armed-robbery.  A person living in the 1400 block of Champlain Street called the police Friday morning after being held up at their home.

Police say more than one person was involved.  Other people were at the home when it happened.  Police have a couple of people in mind but continue to investigate.  If you have information call the Ottawa Police Department. 

Rollover Near Sheridan Kills Driver

A Yorkville man is dead after a rollover near Sheridan.

45-year old Michael Peterson was pronounced this morning at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.  Peterson was life flighted to the hospital last evening after a rollover crash on North 41^st Road.

An autopsy was done today.  No one else was involved in the crash.

Turkey Hunting Numbers Down In The Area

Cold and rainy weather saved the life of some wild turkeys in the area.

The number of birds shot during the Spring Turkey Season is down in Bureau, La Salle and Putnam counties.  The statewide numbers are down too with DNR officials blaming it on the weather.

101 turkeys were shot down this season in La Salle County, 22 less than a year ago.  121 birds were brought down in Bureau County, 19 fewer than last year.  In Putnam County 38 turkeys were shot down this year compared to 52 a year ago.

Love’s A Step Closer To Happening In Oglesby

It’s all systems go for a Love’s Travel Stop to be built in Oglesby.

According to the NewsTribune, the Oglesby City Council has approved the final plans for the truck stop along Interstate 39 south of Advantage Logistics.  A groundbreaking ceremony is planned for June 10^th and it’ll hopefully open by Thanksgiving.

Besides the truck stop, there will be a Hardee’s and truck repair center.  The new Love’s is expected to generate three million dollars in yearly sales and 60 jobs.

Oklahoma Death Toll Lowered

MOORE, Okla. (AP) – The state medical examiner’s office has revised the death toll from a tornado in Moore, Oklahoma to 24 people, including seven children.

A spokeswoman believes some victims were counted twice in the early chaos of the storm. Officials said initially that as many as 51 people were dead, including 20 children.

Teams are continuing to search the rubble in Moore, 10 miles south of Oklahoma City, after the Monday afternoon tornado.

Driver Life Flighted After Crash Near Sheridan

A rollover crash near Sheridan is under investigation.

The La Salle County Sheriff’s Office got a call around 6:30 last night about a rollover on a county road east of Sheridan.  The driver was life flighted to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.

More details about the crash are expected to be released later today.

Drunk Driver Accused Of Running La Salle County Deputy Off The Road

A Mendota man is accused of running a deputy off the road.

Joshua Trahan was arrested just after midnight Monday morning after being pulled over on Route 34 outside Mendota.  A deputy says he was forced to leave the road when Trahan was driving in the wrong lane.  Trahan was arrested for DUI, driving in the wrong lane and criminal trespass to a vehicle.  He allegedly took the car he was driving without the owner’s permission.

Trahan posted bond and was released.